ALFI Chairman: The Strikes of Port Workers Can Interfere Investment in Indonesia

Chairman of the Indonesian Logistics and Forwarders Association (ALFI) Yukki Nugrahawan Hanafi said that the plan to strike Jakarta International Container Terminal (JICT) employees of Tanjung Priok will actually harm workers and JICT itself. Moreover, he said, the plan strikes the JICT States will take place a week from August 3 to 10, 2017.

“JICT is just one of the gates of Indonesia, addressing (strike plan) that we have coordinated with shippingline (shipping or loading / unloading services) to move to another port. Indeed there will be buildup but no problem because there is no other choice, “Yukki said as written on Thursday (07/27/2017).

Yukki continued, the JICT union’s strike and action plan is not just this time. Previously there was a plan to strike on May 9, 2017 but it was canceled after an agreement between the directors and the JICT Workers Union.

Furthermore, Yukki said, if the service keeps running, shipping line can remain in and loading and unloading at JICT. This will make the industry players become more calm and confident about the conditions in Indonesia.

“A strike at the port can disrupt the investment climate. Yes strike is the right workers but should keep the service running, “Yukki, as dilansir liputan6.com.

He added that strike port workers not only affect the operator alone. However, because one port ceased to operate temporarily, it required coordination from various shipping lines to divert service during the strike period.

Yukki said the strike has the potential to create a sense of uncertainty for shipping line and logistics actors not only from exporters but also importers. This can disrupt the growth of the national economy.

“If the strike, actually JICT and workers themselves will suffer losses because they do not serve shippingline. There are several other ports that continue to operate in Priok so there is still another alternative, “he said.

Yukki further explained that the problem that causes the strike is not a new problem and has been understood by many people. Even according to him has become the attention of the Minister of Transport and Port Authority.

He suspects one of the factors causing the strike because the bonuses received by employees in 2016 decreased by 42.5 percent compared to the bonus in 2015. The decrease occurred because JICT’s PBT (Profit Before Tax) decreased from US $ 66.33 million in 2015 to US $ 44.19 million in 2016.